The present invention relates to farm implements having a substantial width provided with a two-way hitch including a tongue that can be pivoted between a field position and a transport position.
In order to achieve economies in cultivation, modern farm implements are provided with substantial width, and for example, in the case of a corn planter, it is common to provide the planter with eight planting units resulting in a total implement width of about 25 feet, and in yet other configurations of corn planters, there are provided 12 planting units resulting in a farm implement width of about 30 feet. Many farmers must move the farm implement from field to field, and often along public highways. During such road transport of the farm implement, it is desirable to have a much narrower width, whereby it has been customary heretofore to either fold the farm implement into a more compact configuration, or to convey the farm implement in a direction normal to its width. One example of such prior structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,495 granted Jan. 18, 1972 to J. W. Orendorff. In that patent, an auxiliary set of wheels is provided that supports the farm implement while in the road transport position, and an auxiliary hitch is provided, which auxiliary hitch requires the tractor or other draft vehicle to be disconnected from the main hitch and reconnected to the auxiliary hitch.
There is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,329 granted Oct. 10, 1978 to L. E. Smith a farm implement wherein the hitch is convertible between a field position and a transport position without disconnecting the hitch from the tractor or other draft vehicle. The hitch is pivotally mounted to the implement frame midway the longitudinal extent thereof and has reinforcing braces removably latched to the hitch to hold the hitch in the field position. When it is desired to transport the farm implement from field to field or upon a highway, the reinforcing braces are released and slide along the hitch while the hitch is pivoted 90.degree. to a transport position thereof. In the field position, the hitch is too long and provides for a long coupling between the draft vehicle and the farm implement, which results in a long turning radius and less control of the farm implement in the field. In the transport position, the hitch is disposed to one side of the farm implement, whereby the farm implement is not drawn from the center thereof but rather to the side, this arrangement resulting in guiding difficulties when the farm implement is in the transport position.